A conventional aircraft typically includes flight control surfaces that are mechanically coupled with a flight control input device. The flight control surfaces alter the aerodynamic forces on the aircraft to adjust the pitch, roll, or yaw angles of the aircraft. Feedback forces from the aerodynamic effect on the flight control surfaces are transferred through the mechanical connection to the flight control input device, which is also known as an inceptor. These feedback forces indicate various flight conditions to the pilot of the aircraft.
With the advent of fly-by-wire technology over the past half century, the definition of a conventional aircraft is changing. Fly-by-wire technology mechanically decouples the inceptor from the flight control surfaces. Instead, the flight control surfaces are adjusted by actuators that are electronically coupled with the inceptor.
Several techniques have been developed for controlling the inceptor feedback in such fly-by-wire systems. A typical fly-by-wire inceptor provides a single neutral force position to the pilot regardless of the flight conditions of the aircraft. The neutral force position is the position of the inceptor in the absence of external forces. A null or zero coordinate position is typically selected as the neutral force position in such single neutral force position systems. While such systems are suitable for their intended purpose, the need for improved fly-by-wire systems is essentially constant.
As such, it is desirable to provide a fly-by-wire system with improved inceptor controls. In addition, other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.